Exhausting Week

Last week had to be one of the most draining weeks on record. Work volume, combined with hot weather, the stresses of preparing for a child and dealing with office issues, crushed me. This emotional proving ground reminded me of winter training when I rowed at CU-Boulder, in that each day repeated the misery of the one prior. Alright, "misery" is a bit much, but it seemed fitting at the time.

So how did I get out of it? I gambled. My photographs were not as successful as I wanted, but gaining peace of mind through risk taking was a worthwhile endeavor. I had a few small victories, that were the bumps necessary to rise above such emotional quicksand, but the will to push even harder gave me the most satisfaction.

Some of you might know that journalism has a tendency to make people salty. I'm not ready to head down that path just yet. I still get a rush from showing up at an assignment and making photographs. I still love asking questions, and the feeling I get when actual photojournalism is accomplished, instead of simply showing up to push the button. The more I remind myself that I make photographs for a living, the more I succeed.

With that, I bring you a photograph of a rookie firefighter who kept going and going, and found refreshment in the simplest of ideas.

Cheers,

Rob

I am Rob

I am Rob. My career has only been possible through the dedication of my high school teacher Mr. (Mark) Murray, who taught photography at Lamar High School until 1996, college professor Kevin Moloney, who is still shaping the young minds of students at the University of Colorado at Boulder, my wife Amelia, who has been inspiring my vision since we met at CU-Boulder in 1999, and my parents, who raised me to never settle for mediocrity, and always give 110% in everything I do.

I have been a photojournalist since the age of 15, when my mother took me to assignments for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, then waited outside while I processed. I continued this until leaving for Colorado in 1995. After getting in-state residency, I began attending the University of Colorado at Boulder in the fall of 1996. In college, I rowed for four years and ended as a varsity oarsman in the Colorado Crew lightweight eight. I began freelancing for the Rocky Mountain News in 1999, which developed my portfolio enough to get internships that started in 2000. I learned from the best at the Albuquerque Journal, Indianapolis Star, Kalamazoo Gazette, Naperville Sun and Boulder Daily Camera before returning to finish at CU-Boulder in December 2001 with a 3.2 GPA in Journalism. In March of 2002, I began my professional career began at the Courier News, in Elgin, Ill., where I worked for one year.

Currently, I am a staff photographer at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where I have worked for more than five years. I also freelance for the New York Times, and donate my time, whenever possible, to benefit non-profit organizations that seek cures for cancer and autism. My goal in photography and journalism is to bring about a greater understanding of the world around us.